installation view of The Head Family of Yun Jeung

Yun Jeung sought fulfillment in academic activities in the countryside, where he educated youths and carried on the teachings of earlier Neo-Confucian literati for the rest of his life. His family was always in need as a result. He left dying instructions for his descendants about ancestor worship that said “Practice ancestral rites strictly by the rules, but do so simply and with thrift. Don’t waste time, money, and effort on preparing rice cakes for sacrifice. Also, do not offer extravagant deep-fried cookies and pan-fried delicacies.” The head family of Yun Jeung duly followed his instructions and did not afterwards offer rice cakes, deep-fried cookies, and pan-fried delicacies on the ritual table. They offered only three essential fruits – jujubes, chestnuts, and persimmons – and they served vegetables of three different parts (roots, stems, leaves) on one dish, rather than in three separate dishes. Instead of serving a whole fish, they offered a few cuts of yellow corbina.